Imagine a day moving at your natural pace
A day where your body and soul guide you, giving your mind a rest
Where every cell in your body gets to take a deep breath and relax
What if, in this day of moving slowly
You reconnected with nature in a way that restored your natural rhythm
The time and space create a container for your inner wisdom to speak softly
A day where your body and soul guide you, giving your mind a rest
Where every cell in your body gets to take a deep breath and relax
What if, in this day of moving slowly
You reconnected with nature in a way that restored your natural rhythm
The time and space create a container for your inner wisdom to speak softly
WHY DO A VIRTUAL RETREAT?
Retreats can be a good way to step back from the influence of habit and obligation to restore a connection with your own thoughts and feelings. We can unhook from the cultural and familial stories and expectations, so that we can know better who we are and get back in touch with our personal values.
Nature operates in cycles, day and night, summer and winter, work and rest. Both halves of the cycle need to be expressed in order for harmony and well being. Stepping into nature moves us into an environment that expresses the whole of the cycle, not just the "doing" parts.
Retreat is a restorative time, and this retreat is particularly about restorative time in nature. Restoration involves coming back to yourself, finding your resilience, your ability to know what you need, and for being aware of your state of being. Nature helps you reconnect through calming the nervous system, lowering stress hormones, and resetting the mind toward how you are rather than what you are doing. This creates an open door for rest, settling, grounding, and reconnection with spirit.
I invite you to a virtual retreat that will guide and support you to reconnect with yourself
Nature operates in cycles, day and night, summer and winter, work and rest. Both halves of the cycle need to be expressed in order for harmony and well being. Stepping into nature moves us into an environment that expresses the whole of the cycle, not just the "doing" parts.
Retreat is a restorative time, and this retreat is particularly about restorative time in nature. Restoration involves coming back to yourself, finding your resilience, your ability to know what you need, and for being aware of your state of being. Nature helps you reconnect through calming the nervous system, lowering stress hormones, and resetting the mind toward how you are rather than what you are doing. This creates an open door for rest, settling, grounding, and reconnection with spirit.
I invite you to a virtual retreat that will guide and support you to reconnect with yourself
HOW DOES THE INNER LANDSCAPE VIRTUAL RETREAT WORK?
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Well, everything is easier when you’re doing it in good company… so let’s each create our visit to nature together. I don't know about you, but I often intend to do things for myself, but it doesn't happen. If we do this together we're all more likely to succeed.
I’ll send you short emails Monday through Friday to help you get prepared, and Saturday we’ll spend the day in retreat. Preparation emails will help you decide where you'll go, what you'll need, and what you'll do while you're out. More information about what is in each email is in the SCHEDULE section below. We'll meet online before and after you go out to set intentions together and to share our experiences. |
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I’ll be your guide, I’ll help you prepare, you just need to take the Saturday off to dedicate to yourself.
WHERE TO DO THE INNER LANDSCAPE RETREAT?
Our environment influences our current moods and thoughts. Most of us live in situations where we are constantly in a flurry of trying to meet other people's demands and expectations. We run from task to task, exhausting ourselves in the name of "getting things done". In the busyness of everyday life, lists, and productivity we focus on our mind, logic, and accomplishing tasks.
For retreat, I recommend leaving home and getting out into nature. Because we'll be on a schedule, I ask you to choose a location outdoors that is reasonably easy for you to access. You could go to a local park, hiking trail, forest, beach, lake, river, backyard, or campground. If you truly can't get outside, you can choose a plant or pet to connect with. In the quiet and slowness of nature, we can reconnect to our own natural pace, our inner wisdom, and take time to know ourselves.
My invitation is to step back into your relationship with nature as your birthright
WHY OUTSIDE IN NATURE?
Nature is a source of life force energy that reflects our own. When we connect with the flow of life force energy it supports our relationships with others, and with ourselves. We come back to our natural rhythms. Slowing down gives us a chance to cultivate our awareness of our feelings, thoughts, and inner workings are the foundation for having healthy relationships
When we know ourselves, we can share ourselves intentionally and joyfully with others in our lives.
Self-awareness is everyday healing
When we know ourselves, we can share ourselves intentionally and joyfully with others in our lives.
Self-awareness is everyday healing
DON'T JUST GO OUT AND HOPE FOR SOMETHING, BE INTENTIONAL
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MORE THAN JUST STEPPING INTO NATURE AND FEELING BETTER.… you can actively work with nature to support your inner healing work. You can intentionally ask and receive nature's wisdom. How do we do that? Most of our deepest emotional and mental wounds come from difficult experiences with other people. Often, those interactions compromised our sense of safety with people. Nature is more predictable and less judgmental than people. Going out into nature and asking for reflection often brings self-awareness without the risk involved with asking other humans what they see in us. We simply need to prepare ourselves for the journey, and then get out there. |
We are naturally drawn to notice things in the landscape that make sense or feel familiar in our subconscious. When we take time to sit still and simply be, nature reveals the things we most need to know. In fact, they're things we already know but we haven't paid attention to them.
Nature is emotionally intelligent.
Nature is emotionally intelligent.
My invitation is to BE in nature… not exercise, not take a brisk walk, not walk and talk, or take pictures... but be present in nature. Follow your intuition, take a journal, see what you notice about the plants and animals. What do those plants and animals mean to you? Not by looking them up, but what associations do you have in your body and mind? What happens inside of you when you see them?
In the BEING in nature, we have the opportunity to simply notice what we notice. Humans are natural members of the planet, we belong here. We are connected, we have co-evolved with the plants and animals around us.
In this retreat we will immerse in nature and trust that our attention will be pulled in the direction of that which is important for us to know.
The resonance between who we are and what is true in nature will determine what we notice.
In the BEING in nature, we have the opportunity to simply notice what we notice. Humans are natural members of the planet, we belong here. We are connected, we have co-evolved with the plants and animals around us.
In this retreat we will immerse in nature and trust that our attention will be pulled in the direction of that which is important for us to know.
The resonance between who we are and what is true in nature will determine what we notice.
WHEN IS THE INNER LANDSCAPE RETREAT?
I invite you to join me for a virtual retreat on May 25, 2019. We will meet online at 9am Pacific Time to begin our day. You will spend approximately 3 1/2 hours in nature on your own. We will reconvene online to talk about our experience and how to continue to utilize the wisdom you received.
In the week prior, May 20-24, you will get daily emails prompting you to make decisions about how you want your Inner Landscape Retreat day to go. We will cover setting an intention for your retreat, how to choose a location, what to bring with you, and a loose outline of what you'll do. We leave room for inspiration, intuition, and spontaneity too!
We will each prepare our own retreat details, but we’ll all be doing it at the same time. Each of us will commit to taking a day for ourselves, we’ll create exactly what it is that we want, and we’ll know as we venture into nature on our own, that women all over are doing the same thing.
We are not alone.
In the week prior, May 20-24, you will get daily emails prompting you to make decisions about how you want your Inner Landscape Retreat day to go. We will cover setting an intention for your retreat, how to choose a location, what to bring with you, and a loose outline of what you'll do. We leave room for inspiration, intuition, and spontaneity too!
We will each prepare our own retreat details, but we’ll all be doing it at the same time. Each of us will commit to taking a day for ourselves, we’ll create exactly what it is that we want, and we’ll know as we venture into nature on our own, that women all over are doing the same thing.
We are not alone.
THE INNER LANDSCAPE RETREAT IS PERFECT FOR YOU IF:
- You feel tired and disconnected and are ready to take steps for your own well-being
- Disconnection and isolation is your reality, but you long for kindred souls, real relating, and a pace that feels sustainable
- You're exhausted by your every day and never seem to get a break. You plan it, but something always seems to come up and you give up the time you've set aside for you
- Sadness and aloneness are frequent companions and you long for a sense of soothing and ease
- Life is busy and tough and you need a rejuvenating break
- You can find a tree, yard, park, wild area, beach, river, overlook, or garden to visit for a few hours on a Saturday
- A Facebook group is a good place for you to ask questions and share thoughts on the preparation days (not mandatory, but highly recommended as it’s an easy way to share ideas and ask questions, as well as being a secondary way for me to get information to you if email feels like it may get buried)
- You are comfortable getting on Zoom for our Saturday video meetings, or you are willing to get that set up ahead of time (it's super duper easy, I promise!)
THIS RETREAT IS NOT FOR YOU IF:
- You can’t commit to clear a day for yourself for any reason (no judgment, just honesty about your current situation)
- It doesn’t feel good to you to connect with other humans at this time (because of illness or whatever) or in this way (online)
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THE SCHEDULE:PREPARATION EMAILS Monday: What does it mean to take a retreat? Intention setting Tuesday: How to choose a location that meets your needs Wednesday: Setting the space when you arrive at your retreat spot Thursday: How you will spend your time Friday: Gathering items you will need to take with you on retreat SATURDAY RETREAT SCHEDULE (all times Pacific Time): 9am Gather for Invocation (Zoom) 10am Arrive at nature location (on your own) 2pm Head home 2:30pm Share about experience, reflection, and anchoring (Zoom) 3:30pm Writing and solo reflection time (on your own) 4:00pm How to pull what you learned into your daily life, Q&A (Zoom) 5:00pm Closing Ceremony (Zoom) |
WHAT YOU WILL GET:
- Planning and organizing support for taking yourself on retreat
- A day for you to find and move at your own natural pace
- Experience with nature that is healing, calming, and restorative that you can continue to build on
- Tools for connecting with nature that furthers your personal growth and wellness that you can use forever
- Community that normalizes and encourages slowing down and nourishing yourself
- Follow up email in a week with reminders and tools about utilizing your awareness from your retreat in your daily life
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: Do we take our computers or phones out in nature with us?
A: No. We will meet by Zoom before and after you spend your time in your retreat space. You will be on your own for the few hours that you're in nature.
Q: Will we be checking in while we're out in nature?
A: No. The time you spend in nature is for you to set down the world that you regularly engage with and take a break. I highly recommend leaving your phone at home (but do take a watch! You'll need to know when to come back!).
Q: Can we do this retreat on a phone?
A: Yes. You don't need a computer. You will, however, need the Zoom app on your phone in order to access our online real-time meetings before and after the retreat.
Q: Can I use nature in my back yard?
A: Yes, absolutely. Some of my most profound moments have been in my own yard. I encourage you to leave your house so you remove the temptations to take care of the never-ending household tasks. But if you can commit to being with yourself and you won't be interrupted in your yard, by all means, you can set yourself up there!
Q: Will be there be a framework for what I'm doing while I'm by myself in nature?
A: Yes. Part of the prep work we do during the week preceding the retreat day is to decide what you're going to do. This has a framework that is flexible so that I give you a general plan, and the specifics are designed by you to meet the intention you have around why YOU want to go on a retreat!
A: No. We will meet by Zoom before and after you spend your time in your retreat space. You will be on your own for the few hours that you're in nature.
Q: Will we be checking in while we're out in nature?
A: No. The time you spend in nature is for you to set down the world that you regularly engage with and take a break. I highly recommend leaving your phone at home (but do take a watch! You'll need to know when to come back!).
Q: Can we do this retreat on a phone?
A: Yes. You don't need a computer. You will, however, need the Zoom app on your phone in order to access our online real-time meetings before and after the retreat.
Q: Can I use nature in my back yard?
A: Yes, absolutely. Some of my most profound moments have been in my own yard. I encourage you to leave your house so you remove the temptations to take care of the never-ending household tasks. But if you can commit to being with yourself and you won't be interrupted in your yard, by all means, you can set yourself up there!
Q: Will be there be a framework for what I'm doing while I'm by myself in nature?
A: Yes. Part of the prep work we do during the week preceding the retreat day is to decide what you're going to do. This has a framework that is flexible so that I give you a general plan, and the specifics are designed by you to meet the intention you have around why YOU want to go on a retreat!
HOW DID THE INNER LANDSCAPE VIRTUAL RETREAT COME TO BE?
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I am a recovering perfectionist. That means I've spent much of my life doing everything I can possibly think of in the most grand way to be sure everyone around me felt taken-care-of and happy. I took on all of the tasks and tried to be the best mom, wife, friend, entrepreneur, and healer. I learned that trying to make everything perfect is really just exhaustion in pretty wrapping. I burned out hard. The Inner Landscape Virtual Retreat came about when I realized that taking care of myself needed to be part of the deal. Do you know the story of The Giving Tree where she just keeps giving and giving until she's literally a stump? I was headed that direction myself... considering everyone else.... taking care of ALL. THE. THINGS. But it didn't work. WE weren't happy because I wasn't happy. |
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There's nothing inherently wrong with taking care of the people we love. There's nothing wrong with being kind and helpful with family and community as prominent values. In fact, that's who I am too. But we are prone to overdo... to run ourselves thin because there is so much we want to support, so many we love, and so much to do! The one thing we need to add... is balance. We need to tend to ourselves so that we can keep caring and supporting and loving and doing.
The virtual retreat offers the chance to get away (momentarily) from the environment in which we are workhorses (at work or in our personal lives, or both) and to take a deep breath... to rest, restore, and rejuvenate.
We do this in the company of other women who are also realizing that they need time in which to move at their natural pace, that getting things done isn't the only measure of our wellness. It is being in community with others who value nurturing ourselves so that we can continue to care for those people and projects that are close to our hearts.
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of feeling alone in this. I struggle to hold time for me to simply BE. Sometimes I put it in the calendar but then I give that time away. It's easier for me to take care of me when I am doing it with others. Hence... The Inner Landscape Virtual Retreat. Welcome!
The virtual retreat offers the chance to get away (momentarily) from the environment in which we are workhorses (at work or in our personal lives, or both) and to take a deep breath... to rest, restore, and rejuvenate.
We do this in the company of other women who are also realizing that they need time in which to move at their natural pace, that getting things done isn't the only measure of our wellness. It is being in community with others who value nurturing ourselves so that we can continue to care for those people and projects that are close to our hearts.
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of feeling alone in this. I struggle to hold time for me to simply BE. Sometimes I put it in the calendar but then I give that time away. It's easier for me to take care of me when I am doing it with others. Hence... The Inner Landscape Virtual Retreat. Welcome!